


Kadaran Heat

by YourLocalPriestess



Series: Bad Puns & Finger Guns [5]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Ryder and Reyes are precious bbys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-11-29 03:59:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11432694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourLocalPriestess/pseuds/YourLocalPriestess
Summary: The struggle to gain control of Kadara Port was an arduous one. The memories of it burn through Reyes.





	Kadaran Heat

**Author's Note:**

> For Reyes Appreciation Week, Day 5: Prompt - Winter Snow or Summer Heat.
> 
> A million thanks to @joufancyhuh for letting me use Els <3

“We could go out. I have a few hours left before I have to get to the Tempest.” Els rolled over so the sun splashed across her face, making her pink hair almost glow. She regarded him with sleepy eyes, almost smiling.

Reyes tucked a strand of hair behind her hair. “I could think of other ways to use the time,” he whispered, morning gruffness seeping into his voice. He leaned in and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.

She instantly leaned into his touch and he could feel her smile in earnest as he pulled back. “That sounds lovely…”

 _But_. His brow crinkled at the word she didn’t say. He pulled back and leaned into his pillow again. “But,” he sighed.

She moved so she was leaning up on her elbows, looking down at him with her own crinkle in her brow. “Reyes, when was the last time you went outside?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

She chuffed and rolled her eyes. “Yes you do. Kain talked to me. He hasn’t seen you leave Tartarus in weeks, except at night, and then you come back before the sun’s up. What gives?”

He swallowed, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. She was regarding him completely seriously now, her face lacking the joviality of moments ago. He sighed and ran a hand over his face.

“I’m not a fan of the heat.”

She was silent for a long moment. He didn’t look at her.

“What?”

He chewed the inside of his lip and turned to her. “I don’t like the heat.”

“I heard you.” Her frown deepened and she tucked some hair behind her ear. “But it’s  _always_  hot here, Reyes.”

“It’s not the normal heat.” He ran a hand over his hair and let his other settle around her at the small of her back. “You haven’t experienced the full breadth of Kadara’s seasons. Summer only just started, but it’s going to get worse. Much worse.”

“Okay.” She quirked her head to the side. “But I don’t understand why a little heat makes you only go out at night.”

She didn’t understand. She didn’t have to suffer through the first summer, when they had no controlled climates or shelter. When they were still fighting for control of a port that would surely mean their survival. Els was still sleeping while bodies were shot down in failed onslaughts. The kett left them there, in valleys and make shift roads, rotting and stinking and dead. Both sides had to watch the bodies decay or be eaten, and any time some idiot felt like they couldn’t take it, because  _our people deserve better, goddammit_ , the kett got the pleasure of adding a new body to the pile.

It didn’t matter that that was over two years ago. Anytime Reyes stepped out into the sweltering heat, all he could think of was sweat and blood and  _rot_. He couldn’t stop himself. He didn’t know  _why_. And he didn’t know how to tell her.

“The first summer here was hard. We were fighting for the port and didn’t have a lot of resources or shelter.” He took a deep breath and looked at her, finally. “Good people died. I don’t like to think about it.”

“That sounds awful.” She carded her fingers through his hair and he leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. “Does the heat make it worse?”

Gods, this brilliant woman. There was nothing she didn’t catch. He nodded, keeping his eyes shut and pressing a kiss into her palm.

“Well.” She sidled closer to him and kissed his forehead, her hair tickling his nose. “Then maybe I’ll take you up on that offer to stay in after all.”

He opened his eyes and grinned. His hands slipped to her waist and he spun them effortlessly until he was hovering over top of her. She laughed and gripped both hands behind his neck. He leaned down and swallowed her smile in a kiss, all tongues dancing together and scraping teeth. His hips ground against hers of their own volition and he felt her arch to him in return. He moved a hand under the covers and let his fingers dance across her stomach as he trailed them down.

Els broke the kiss, a soft wet sound echoing between them as their mouths separated. “Wait,” she panted, one hand on his shoulder. “If we stay in today, you have to come out with me next week.”

His face soured and he opened his mouth to speak, but she put a hand to his lips.

“You live on Kadara, Reyes. You can’t let something like heat hold you back.” She leaned up and gave him a soft kiss, pressing her body against him in the process. When she pulled back she was staring at him with that unfathomable look in her eyes, a small smile quirking her lips. “And I’ll be there. I’ll help you.”

He sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “For you?” He kissed her again, deep and swift enough to steal her breath when he pulled back. He smirked. “Anything.”

With Els smiling against his lips and letting him drown himself in her light, he really felt like he could.


End file.
